With some projections estimating that U.S. population in 2050 could exceed 550 million, the nation is facing looming and unprecedented strains on environmental resources and infrastructure, including transport systems, public parks and open space. Key decisions affecting where people live and work – and how they travel from one place to another – will have long-term implications for regional economies, environmental quality, and the future of natural areas. Research at Resources for the Future is informing policies for dealing with the intertwined issues of transportation and spatial development. Special attention is given to the interactions between the transportation system, land use, and the economy, based on the recognition that these elements must be looked at as an integrated whole.

Resources magazine: Will California’s proposed train system linking San Francisco and Los Angeles set the course for high-speed rail development across the country? RFF Senior Fellow Joel Darmstadter investigates.